Things to Do in Paphos

Paphos is small, but the things worth doing are spread across a large region: the ancient town by the harbour, sandy beaches to the north, the wild Akamas peninsula at the western tip, and wine villages in the hills. This page sorts them by type, with a straight verdict on each, so you can build a trip around what you actually enjoy.

The essentials for a first visit

Paphos packs more genuinely important history into a small area than almost anywhere in Cyprus — the whole ancient town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The essentials cluster around the harbour, so a first day can be done on foot. Start early: from May to October the sites are hot and shadeless by late morning.

Paphos at a glance: the best of each type

Ancient sites

The Archaeological Park is the headline: Roman villas with some of the finest floor mosaics in the Mediterranean, plus an odeon and a ruined castle. Allow 2–3 hours. The Tombs of the Kings is the one people remember — rock-cut underground tombs with columned courtyards you can walk down into. Allow 1.5–2 hours.

• [Agia Kyriaki and St Paul's Pillar](/attractions/agia-kyriaki-chrysopolitissa/) — a medieval church among the ruins of an early Christian basilica. A 20–30 minute stop that fits in on the way to the harbour.
• [Agios Neophytos Monastery](/attractions/agios-neophytos-monastery/) — a cliff-cut hermitage with Byzantine frescoes, about 15–20 minutes' drive north. Worth the trip if you have a car; an hour is enough.
• [Sanctuary of Aphrodite](/attractions/sanctuary-of-aphrodite/) at Kouklia — the ruins are fragmentary and the site museum does much of the work. Best combined with Petra tou Romiou rather than visited on its own.
• [Paphos Castle](/attractions/paphos-castle/) — a small harbour fort. A 20–30 minute stop for the roof-top view, not a destination.

Beaches

Honest expectation-setting: Paphos town's coast is mostly rocky, with small organised beaches along the promenade. For a proper sandy beach day go to Coral Bay; for clear water and swimming from a boat, the Blue Lagoon; for wild and empty, Lara. Full comparison in the best beaches in Paphos.

If you are staying in Kato Paphos, Vrysoudia and Alykes are organised and handy for an afternoon swim, and Faros beach below the lighthouse is quieter and better at sunset than for a full day. Coral Bay gets very busy at weekends and in July and August — go in the morning or after 4pm.

Nature and the outdoors

The Akamas peninsula is the region's wild side: gorges, turtle beaches and walking trails. Hike early — summer midday heat is not something to push through.

• [Avakas Gorge](/day-trips/avakas-gorge/) — the most dramatic short walk near Paphos. About 40 minutes' drive, with an unpaved final section. Not for young children.
• [Lara](/beaches/lara-beach/) — empty bays and protected turtle-nesting beaches, reached by a rough track. Many rental agreements exclude unpaved roads, so a jeep safari is the simpler option.
• [Baths of Aphrodite](/attractions/baths-of-aphrodite/) — the grotto takes minutes to see; the circular nature trails above it are the real reason to go.
• [Peyia sea caves](/attractions/peyia-sea-caves/) — wave-cut caves and a stranded cargo ship. A sunset stop with unfenced cliff edges.

For routes and seasons, see hiking near Paphos.

On the water

Boat trips split into two types. Cruises from Paphos harbour are convenient but run along a fairly plain stretch of coast. Smaller boats from Latchi go to the Blue Lagoon and the northern Akamas, where the water is far clearer — but Latchi is about 45 minutes' drive from Paphos, so check the departure point before you book. Many boats anchor at the Blue Lagoon at once in summer, especially late morning; an early departure helps.

For time in the water rather than on it, see snorkelling in Paphos and scuba diving in Paphos.

Villages, food and wine

The single food experience to have is a full meze — a long sequence of small dishes that arrives until you say stop. Beyond that, the Paphos hills are one of Cyprus' main wine areas, and the Laona villages around Kathikas make an excellent afternoon. Start with our guide to eating in Paphos and Paphos wine tours.

• [Geroskipou](/areas/geroskipou/) — on the eastern edge of Paphos, known for loukoumi (Cyprus delight) and the five-domed church of Agia Paraskevi. Easy to combine with Kouklia and Petra tou Romiou.
• The [Old Town](/areas/paphos-old-town/) market — the renovated covered market mixes produce stalls with cafés and craft shops. Mornings are the liveliest time.
• Wine tastings — someone has to drive in the hills. A wine tour or a driver solves that; otherwise see wineries near Paphos to plan your own route.
• [Food and cooking experiences](/experiences/food-and-cooking-experiences/) — halloumi-making and meze cooking, best in small groups.

Free things to do

• Walk the harbour and seafront promenade at sunset.
• Watch the sunset at the Peyia sea caves or Petra tou Romiou.
• Explore the streets and market of the Old Town.
• Walk the trails above the Baths of Aphrodite.
• Swim at Faros beach below the lighthouse, a short walk from the harbour.
• Swim at any of the public beaches — sunbeds cost money, the sea does not.

Things to do in Paphos at night

Paphos evenings are mostly about long dinners and the harbour. The usual rhythm: sunset on the promenade, a slow meze, then a drink by the water. For a big night out, Bar Street in Kato Paphos is where the clubs are — busiest on summer weekends, quiet out of season, and better suited to groups than couples.

• Walk the harbour after dark, when the promenade is at its busiest.
• Go up to the Old Town in the late afternoon and stay for dinner, then walk or taxi back down.
• Drive out to Petra tou Romiou or the sea caves for sunset, then eat on the way back.

On a rainy (or too hot) day

Rain is rare outside winter, but midsummer heat can be a bigger problem. Indoor and shaded options: the covered mosaics in the Archaeological Park, the frescoed hermitage at Agios Neophytos, and the museums and cafés of the Old Town.

• Rainy day: the Old Town's small museums and covered market, the mosaics, Agios Neophytos, or a long lunch. Museum opening hours vary, so check before you go.
• Hot day: sightseeing at opening time, then the sea. A boat trip is the coolest way to spend a July afternoon; the Aphrodite Waterpark is the family option in summer.
• Hot day, with a car: head for the hills. The Troodos is noticeably cooler than the coast, though it is a long day.

Things to do in Paphos with kids

Plan around the heat: ancient sites at opening, beach or pool through the afternoon, the harbour in the evening. The Tombs of the Kings works better for children than the mosaics — it feels like exploring. Coral Bay has gently shelving water, and the zoo is a good half-day. See the full Paphos with kids guide.

For couples

Sunsets do much of the work here. Pair a morning boat to the Blue Lagoon with an afternoon in the wine villages and dinner in the Old Town. More in Paphos for couples.

If you have one day, three days or a week

• One day: the Archaeological Park and Tombs of the Kings in the morning, a rest through the hottest hours, then St Paul's Pillar and sunset at the harbour. All on foot from Kato Paphos — see 1 day in Paphos.
• Two days: add the Old Town, Geroskipou, Kouklia and sunset at Petra tou Romiou — see 2 days in Paphos.
• Three days: the sweet spot. Add Latchi, the Blue Lagoon and the Baths of Aphrodite — see 3 days in Paphos.
• Four to seven days: room for the wine villages, Coral Bay, the Akamas and a day in the Troodos — see 4 days, 5 days or 7 days in Paphos.

Prefer to build your own? Use the trip planner to put together a day-by-day itinerary.

Day trips

Petra tou Romiou is an easy half-day about 25–30 minutes east. Polis and Latchi are about 45 minutes north. Limassol is 50–60 minutes by motorway. The Troodos is roughly 1.5–2 hours each way, and Cedar Valley is 2 hours or more on mountain roads — rewarding, but only on a longer trip. All day trips are listed on day trips from Paphos.

What we would skip, and what is overrated

Nothing below is bad. These are the places where expectations and reality tend to drift apart, or where the time is better spent elsewhere.

• Paying to go inside Paphos Castle if you are short on time — the view from the harbour is most of it.
• Driving to the Baths of Aphrodite just for the pool. You cannot swim in it and it takes minutes to see; go if you will walk the trails.
• Expecting a long sandy beach in Paphos town. The coast here is rocky — plan a Coral Bay day instead.
• The Blue Lagoon at late morning in August, when it is crowded with boats. Go early, or in June or September.
• Trying to do the Akamas west side and the Blue Lagoon on the same day.
• Troodos on a trip of three days or fewer — too much driving for the time you have.
• Hiking anywhere between 11am and 4pm in July and August.